SUVs are very popular nowadays, and automakers have a lot of options available for anyone who’s in the market for one. The best SUVs tend to have a great balance between power and practicality, and the latest 2021 Dodge Durango may be one of these. However, thanks to the engines that Dodge offers, the 2021 Durango might force customers to pick between the lesser of two evils. 

What’s great about this midsize SUV?

Like Autotrader talked about, the Durango is a three-row mid-size crossover that’s large enough to seat its seven passengers comfortably. Other three-row SUVs might be able to boast about having a seven-seat capacity, but as Autotrader points out, many of those SUVs can only actually seat a few adults and a few kids comfortably, as the third-row seats are simply too cramped for adults. The Durango, on the other hand, can fit seven adults just fine in its seats. 

On top of that, Autotrader really liked the towing capacity that the Durango has. In its base model, which is equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 that gets 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, the Durango can tow about 6,200-pounds.

This standard towing capacity is already significantly more than most of the Durango’s peers, but of course, it can get even higher. When properly equipped, the Durango can tow up to 8,700-pounds of goods.

What’s not great about the 2021 Dodge Durango

While Dodge has improved on a few other things with the latest Durango, a few things still fell short in Autotrader’s eyes. For example, while Dodge has upgraded the Durango’s infotainment systems, the review talked about how the Durango’s interior features and design were lacking.

Furthermore, the Durango also doesn’t have that many standard smart safety features compared to its competitors. That’s because the vast majority of the smart safety systems that are standard on other SUVs are only options on the Durango. As a result, Durango owners would have to shell out extra cash in order to equip their Durango with the latest smart safety gear.

This relates to another major issue with the Durango, and that’s the fact that many of the Durango’s best features are locked behind the more expensive options. For instance, the standard Durango starts at about $31,765, but it can only seat five people. In order to seat seven people, customers will have to pay about $4,000 more to upgrade to the GT trim. 

Why 2021 Dodge Durango owners will have to pick their poison

This issue with the Durango’s options also extends to its engine choices. While Autotrader praised Dodge for offering the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 Hellcat engine on the Durango, the reivew also pointed out that all of the Durango’s engine options have significant flaws.

For example, the standard V6 only gets an estimated 21 MPG combined, while at the same time having a worse acceleration time than the Durango’s other engine options. 

Autotrader said that the Durango’s V6 is less fuel-efficient than a few of the Durango’s competitors, but it gets worse with the Durango’s other engine options.

Other than the V6, Dodge offers a variety of V8 engines that generate between 360-hp to 710-hp. All of the V8s are more powerful than the V6, and allow the Durango to accelerate faster, but it all comes at the cost of fuel economy. 

The weakest V8 only gets an estimated 17 MPG combined, while that 710-hp Hellcat V8 gets an estimated 14 MPG combined. As a result, anyone thinking about buying a 2021 Dodge Durango will have to pick between a slow standard engine that doesn’t have great fuel economy or a faster V8 engine that’s more expensive and has an even worse fuel economy.